A common question we receive is from potential job seekers asking what home health aide classes are required or recommended to become a certified Home Health Aide. The truth is, not even a high school diploma is strictly required to enter the HHA field. But that said, proper classes and training are required both to give you a leg up on the competition and also to ensure you are properly prepared to provide the aid to those who need it.
There are a couple common ways people end up taking home health aide classes. The first is by joining a HHA Agency. Most agencies will provide training and HHA classes to their employees. These courses are often times two to three weeks long and will train the attendee on providing a clean and safe environment, proper nutrition and general care for their patients. Also included will be routine medical procedures such as taking and recording vital signs, infection control, geriatric care and other procedures of that ilk.
Home Health Aide Classes Some common home HHA classes are the following:
- principles of physical therapy and body mechanics
- proper lifting techniques
- healthy food preparation and nutrition
- physiology and anatomy
- infection control
- communication and educational skills for working with both patients and families
- patients rights and ethics
- day to day patient help with personal care such as dressing and bathing
Home Health Aide Classes
A good program of HHA classes will also include a significant practical experience portion that provides the student with directly supervised patient experience.